Maoists issue eviction notice

Kishor Budhathoki

SANKHUWASABHA: The Unified CPN-Maoist cadres have ordered six families in Sabhapokhari and Barhabise VDCs to vacate their houses and immovable property at the earliest.

All the victims owe their allegiance to the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

The Maoists claimed that these families usurped the assets during the decade-long insurgency. To make matters worse, they allegedly did not seek the Maoists’ permission for the ‘seizure’.

The ex-rebels have sent eviction order to Til Bahadur Limbu, Kamal Limbu, Mani Limbu of Sabhapokhari VDC-4, Ganga Rai of Sabhapokhari VDC-7, Bhairab Kalakheti of Barhebise VDC-5 and Cheban Kumari Kharel of Barhabise VDC-4.

The cadres have also planted their party flags on the victims’ property.

The incident assumes significance since this is the first time the Maoists have issued eviction notices in the district since the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) was signed three years ago.

RP Rai, secretary, Sankhuwasabha, UCPN-Maoist, admitted that his party was yet to return the seized property to their rightful claimants.

However, the Maoists, after coming to power last year, had all along been at the central level that return of seized property topped their agenda. Rai also refuted that flags had foisted on the property of these six families.

“But we’ll let them stake claim on their ‘assets’ after an agreement is signed,” he added.

District-based human rights activists have condemned the Maoists’ move.

Khadga Rai, coordinator, Sankhuwasabha, Human Rights Peace and Development Promotion Coordination Committee, urged the Maoists to shun violence and join the political mainstream.

‘Death threat’ to teachers

DAMAK: Teachers of Bhanu Secondary School at Dharampur in Jhapa have been forced to shut down the institution four days ago. The reason: They claimed that the UCPN-Maoist cadres were threatening to kill them. Representatives of the Nepal Teachers’ Union (NTU), Jhapa, alleged that the Maoists issued death threat to Yam Nath Chimariya, headmaster, Bhanu Secondary School, and two of his colleagues Radha Krishna Khanal and Badri Bhattarai. Narayan Prasad Gautam, president, Jhapa, NTU, said that the threat was issued during a meeting with the school authorities on Sunday. — HNS